Essential Work Sample Exercises for Hiring AI Literacy Program Curators

AI literacy has become a critical competency across organizations as artificial intelligence transforms industries and workflows. Professionals who can effectively curate AI literacy programs play a vital role in helping teams understand, adopt, and responsibly use AI technologies. These specialists bridge the gap between technical AI concepts and practical workplace applications, making them invaluable assets in today's technology-driven environment.

When hiring for AI literacy program curation roles, traditional interviews often fail to reveal a candidate's true capabilities. While resumes might showcase relevant experience and interviews can assess knowledge, only practical work samples can demonstrate a candidate's ability to design effective learning experiences, explain complex concepts clearly, and tailor content to specific audiences.

The work samples outlined below are designed to evaluate candidates' abilities to select appropriate AI content, create accessible learning pathways, develop engaging materials, and assess program effectiveness. These exercises simulate real-world challenges that AI literacy curators face, providing a window into how candidates approach program development and implementation.

By incorporating these work samples into your hiring process, you'll gain deeper insights into candidates' practical skills and thought processes. You'll be able to identify individuals who not only understand AI concepts but can effectively translate that knowledge into meaningful learning experiences for your organization.

Activity #1: AI Literacy Needs Assessment and Program Outline

This activity evaluates a candidate's ability to assess organizational needs and design a structured AI literacy program tailored to specific audiences. Effective AI literacy curators must be able to identify knowledge gaps, prioritize learning objectives, and create coherent learning pathways that build understanding progressively.

Directions for the Company:

• Provide the candidate with a fictional company profile including industry, size, departments, and current AI implementation status.
• Include information about 2-3 specific teams that need AI literacy training (e.g., marketing team using AI for content generation, HR team implementing AI-powered recruiting tools).
• Give the candidate access to a template document for their program outline.
• Allow 45-60 minutes for this exercise.
• Prepare to discuss the candidate's approach and reasoning during the follow-up conversation.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the company profile and team information provided.
• Create a needs assessment that identifies key AI literacy gaps for the specified teams.
• Develop a program outline that includes:
• Learning objectives for each team
• Content modules and their sequence
• Recommended learning formats (workshops, self-paced modules, etc.)
• Timeline for implementation
• Methods for measuring program effectiveness
• Be prepared to explain your rationale for the program structure and content priorities.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After reviewing the candidate's program outline, provide specific feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your learning objectives are well-aligned with the teams' needs") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The timeline might be too ambitious given the teams' other responsibilities").
• Ask the candidate to revise one section of their outline based on your feedback, giving them 10-15 minutes to make adjustments.
• Observe how receptive they are to feedback and how effectively they incorporate it into their revision.

Activity #2: AI Concept Explanation and Content Creation

This activity assesses a candidate's ability to explain complex AI concepts in accessible ways and create engaging educational content. A successful AI literacy curator must be able to translate technical information into clear, relevant explanations that resonate with different audiences.

Directions for the Company:

• Select an AI concept that's relevant to your organization (e.g., machine learning bias, natural language processing, or generative AI).
• Identify a specific audience within your organization that would benefit from understanding this concept (e.g., product managers, customer service representatives).
• Provide the candidate with basic information about the audience's current knowledge level and how they might use this AI concept in their work.
• Prepare examples of your organization's current learning materials to give the candidate context for your communication style.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Create a short educational piece (approximately 500-750 words) explaining the assigned AI concept to the specified audience.
• Develop one interactive element to accompany your explanation (e.g., a simple exercise, discussion questions, or a visual aid).
• Your content should:
• Use language appropriate for the audience's technical level
• Include relevant examples that connect to their work
• Address potential misconceptions about the concept
• Highlight practical applications and ethical considerations
• Be prepared to discuss how you would adapt this content for different learning formats or audiences.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the clarity and accessibility of the explanation, highlighting one particularly effective element and one area that could be improved.
• Ask the candidate to revise a specific paragraph or section based on your feedback, giving them 10-15 minutes to make adjustments.
• Discuss how they approached the revision and what considerations guided their changes.

Activity #3: AI Tool Evaluation and Learning Resource Curation

This activity evaluates a candidate's ability to assess AI tools and curate appropriate learning resources. Effective AI literacy curators must be able to evaluate the quality, relevance, and accessibility of various AI resources to create a valuable learning library.

Directions for the Company:

• Identify 3-5 AI tools or platforms that are relevant to your organization (e.g., ChatGPT, Midjourney, Jasper, or industry-specific AI tools).
• Provide information about which departments or roles might use these tools.
• Create a template for the candidate to use for their evaluation and resource curation.
• Allow 45-60 minutes for this exercise.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Evaluate each of the provided AI tools, considering:
• Key capabilities and limitations
• Learning curve and prerequisite knowledge
• Potential applications within the organization
• Ethical considerations for usage
• For each tool, curate 3-5 learning resources that would help employees understand and effectively use the tool. These might include:
• Articles, videos, or tutorials
• Practice exercises
• Case studies or examples
• Documentation or guides
• Organize these resources into a logical learning sequence from beginner to advanced.
• Provide brief annotations explaining why each resource was selected and how it contributes to understanding.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After reviewing the candidate's evaluation and curation, highlight one particularly strong selection or insight and one area where their curation could be enhanced.
• Ask the candidate to suggest alternative or additional resources for one specific tool based on your feedback, giving them 10-15 minutes to research and respond.
• Discuss their criteria for selecting high-quality learning resources and how they assess resource effectiveness.

Activity #4: AI Literacy Program Implementation Planning

This activity assesses a candidate's ability to plan the practical implementation of an AI literacy program, including stakeholder engagement, resource allocation, and program evaluation. Successful AI literacy curators must be able to move from concept to execution effectively.

Directions for the Company:

• Provide a scenario describing an organization-wide AI literacy initiative, including:
• Program goals and target audiences
• Available budget and timeline constraints
• Potential stakeholders and their interests
• Existing learning infrastructure (LMS, communication channels, etc.)
• Include any organizational challenges that might affect implementation (e.g., remote workforce, varying technical proficiency levels).
• Prepare questions about specific aspects of implementation to discuss after reviewing the candidate's plan.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Develop a detailed implementation plan for the AI literacy program described in the scenario, including:
• Stakeholder engagement strategy
• Resource requirements (people, technology, materials)
• Timeline with key milestones
• Communication plan for program launch and ongoing engagement
• Methods for tracking participation and measuring program impact
• Approach for gathering feedback and iterating on the program
• Your plan should address the specific challenges mentioned in the scenario and include contingency strategies for potential obstacles.
• Be prepared to discuss how you would adapt your implementation approach based on early program results.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After reviewing the implementation plan, provide feedback on one particularly strong element and one area that needs further development or consideration.
• Ask the candidate to elaborate on how they would address the identified area for improvement, giving them 10-15 minutes to develop their response.
• Discuss how they would handle a specific implementation challenge (e.g., low participation rates, technical difficulties, or stakeholder resistance).

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should each work sample activity take?

Each activity should be allocated 45-60 minutes for completion, with an additional 15-20 minutes for feedback and discussion. If conducting multiple activities in a single interview session, consider limiting to two activities with a short break in between to prevent candidate fatigue.

Should candidates complete these activities during the interview or as take-home assignments?

This depends on your hiring process. Activities #1 and #4 (program outline and implementation planning) work well as take-home assignments with a follow-up discussion. Activities #2 and #3 (concept explanation and resource curation) can be effective as live exercises during an interview, allowing you to observe the candidate's thought process.

How should we evaluate candidates who have strong content knowledge but less experience with program design?

Focus on their ability to translate their knowledge into accessible learning experiences. Look for evidence of audience awareness, clear communication, and logical organization of information. Consider pairing them with experienced program designers if their content expertise is particularly valuable.

What if our organization is just beginning to implement AI tools?

In this case, emphasize Activities #1 and #2, which focus on needs assessment and foundational concept explanation. You might modify Activity #3 to focus on evaluating potential AI tools for future implementation rather than existing tools. Look for candidates who can help build AI literacy from the ground up.

How can we adapt these exercises for candidates with different backgrounds (e.g., instructional designers versus AI specialists)?

Adjust your evaluation criteria based on the candidate's background. For instructional designers, emphasize the quality of learning design and audience adaptation. For AI specialists, focus more on the accuracy and relevance of technical content while providing more guidance on educational approaches.

Should we provide examples of our current learning materials to candidates?

Yes, providing examples of your organization's current learning materials gives candidates context for your communication style and helps them align their work samples with your organizational culture. This results in more relevant submissions and gives you a better sense of how the candidate would perform in the actual role.

AI literacy program curation requires a unique blend of technical knowledge, educational expertise, and implementation skills. By using these work samples in your hiring process, you'll be able to identify candidates who can effectively bridge the gap between complex AI concepts and practical workplace applications. The right AI literacy curator will help your organization build the knowledge and skills needed to leverage AI technologies responsibly and effectively.

For more resources to enhance your hiring process, check out Yardstick's AI Job Descriptions, AI Interview Question Generator, and AI Interview Guide Generator.

Ready to build a complete interview guide for AI Literacy Program Curators? Sign up for a free Yardstick account today!